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October 1707 (6)
= The Herald of Europe - October 1707 = Weather this month *Becalmed in the Baltic. *Heavy rainfall in India. *Storms in the North Atlantic and East Europe. Events Of Importte Pertaining To Recent Matters Vienna *Peter von Löwenhaupt has addressed the Emperor Leopold announcing himself to be Sweden’s official representative at His Sacred Majesty’s court. He also apologised for the lack of Swedish representation in Vienna over the last year, the reason for this having been an extended revision of ambassadorial offices. *The Kaiserin has made rooms available for Herzogin Christine Louise of Öttingen-Öttingen and her daughter Elizabeth Christine von Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel at the Hofburg, and arranged for Elizabeth to be catechised in the doctrines of the Roman Catholic faith. *Having learnt that the Swedes now have an ambassador in Vienna, the Danish diplomat Christian Leegard has travelled to Vienna from Wetzlar. Roncesvalles *The monastery at Roncesvalles has been destroyed by fire. Although unproven it is widely rumoured that Augustinians from the nearby abbey were behind the conflagration due to being disgruntled with Cardinal Portocarrero over something or other. Tangier *The King of Spain’s Own French Legion has appeared outside the Moorish stronghold of Tangier. Finding the walls held against him, the Duque de Alburquerque commanding the Legion is making ready to start a siege. The Legion numbers 8 battalions of foot and 32 squadrons of horse. Timbuktu *Plans to start the siege of Timbuktu or call for its surrender had to be shelved when Morocco’s Army of Timbuktu emerged to give battle. The French forces concentrated and formed up in battle array, and shortly the action began with an exchange of artillery fire. The six French batteries engaged the two Moorish equivalents, and while the Moors managed to let loose a livelier rate of fire both of their batteries were silenced. This forced the Moors to go on the offensive, which they did with 19 battalions of foot and 20 lancer squadrons deployed in two lines against a similarly deployed 18 infantry battalions and 15 squadrons. The French foot stood, silent and in good order, while the cannon before their lines turned their attention to the Bukhari soldiers of the Moorish first line. The cavalry on either flank clashed in close combat first, Moroccan lancers galloping headlong in against the French Horse and the 11th and 12th dragoon regiments, which smartly counter-charged at the fast trot. On the French left the 11th were quickly smashed and thrown back - a total defeat having been inflicted upon them by the victorious lancers! However the Moors sped off to finish off the survivors and took no further part in the battle. On the opposite flank the fighting proved tougher and somewhat more prolonged, but after threading through each other’s ranks and engaging three times the French horse again in time broke and fled. In this instance however the Moors did not give chase. In the centre the Bukhari halted and gave forth a volley while the French gunners who had been discomforting them took shelter behind their own infantry. The French musketeers did not reply with a volley of their own, but having taken the volley advanced through the abandoned cannon line to a range of fifty yards from the Moorish line, stopped, took a further volley off the Bukhari and then began to shoot by platoon up and down the line. Their shooting with the French version of the Pedro Musket proved utterly devastating against the African Bukhari, who dropped like ninepins, just leaving their still standing fellows to flee in panic! Behind them the second line, made up of Turks and a crack regiment of infantry armed with matchlocks with their tell-tale glowing matches, stood firm. The French foot were compelled to retire at this point on account of the hostile lancers to their right forming up to face and threaten their exposed flank. Thus threatened and now without cavalry support on the field the French have been compelled to retire from the battle, although no fresh pursuit was made (except of the unfortunate 11th Dragoons, who have been very severely handled). The French are retreated westward, while the Moors have retired back into Timbuktu. Fez *Marching past the Army of Andalusia, Marshal de Bonneville’s French field army set up camp outside Fez and is preparing to make preparations to start a siege. Bonneville commands an army of 13 infantry battalions, 20 cavalry squadrons, six field batteries as well as an extensive trayne including siege cannon, engineers, pontooneers, ambulances, &c. A day later, possibly stung into action at the thought of the French getting the glory of taking Fez, the Marquis de Villadarias issued orders for the Army of Andalusia to start the siege of Fez before the French! His dragoon regiments surrounded Fez, cutting off all routes from the outside, and with the required materials collected trenches were opened against the old walls. By 14th October the northern wall had been breached by the Spanish siege trayne’s cannon. Wasting no time, no doubt again out of anxiousness to get the honour of taking Fez before the French, Villadarias sent in the three battalions of the 1st Regimiento Real de Infantes de Marina to capture the breach. Within the space of a day the attempt was thrown back despite the fact the defending infantry are armed merely with spears. They did not cause great loss to the Spanish, but did enough to hold them off and make them fall back. The Hague *Ambassador Kristian König, having asked for an audience with the main deputies of the States-General to discuss relations between Sweden and the United Provinces, was introduced to members of the Raad van Staat – the council of state – whom he told that he wished to ensure there were no problems or complaints from the Dutch side against Sweden. “If there will are any issues I am your official contact for the Kingdom of Sweden,” he said. Berlin *Landgraf Karl of Hesse-Kassel has entered Berlin, riding in upon a steed rather than taking the more usual course of coming by touring coach. Shanghai *Lord Xing Si of Shantung China has announced that while having been asked at times to provide his warriors as mercenaries, he cannot do so since he distrusts his Korean neighbours and needs his army at home. He added that if any nation wished to trade with China they should open a trade office in Canton in line with the Peking Emperor’s decree of December 1706. Munich *“To say I am offended would be overstepping the mark,” smiled Prince Maximillian Emanuel of Bavaria, “but the next time the Holy Roman Emperor desires to seek my permission to carry out works in my electorate it would be nice if he waited for permission before going ahead with them! Otherwise, hardly much point in asking, is there! Having said all that I am delighted that His Sacred Majesty is restoring the church at Altotting.” Phnom Penh *King Thommararcha III of Siam has asked that his Siamese protectors reconstitute the Cambodian Royal Army as a loyalist force from scratch, and once ready place it back under his command. He would expect this to be done by October of next year at the latest, he has let it be known from the confines of his royal palace. Rome *Giovanni Ganganelli, who is Inquisitor-General of the Holy Inquisition, Vicar-General of the Society of Jesus and head of the Government of the Papal States has told Bishop Ribeiro that he is fully aware that a considerable sum was asked by King Louis of France off Austria to fund a crusade in Morocco, but that at the time His Holiness Clement XII made it abundantly clear that the amount requested was unreasonable. In fact earlier that year the fact was communicated to His Most Christian Majesty that, in the words of the Pope, ‘I cannot ask Austria to support you since that is a temporal matter for him to decide with you as brothers in Christ’. *The Imperial Ambassador to the Papacy, His Grace Franz Ferdinand Freiherr von Rummel, Titularbischof von Tinna has informed the Curia that in January Kaiser Leopold did indeed offer His Most Christian Majesty a gift of £500,000 in recognition, perhaps, of the benefit which might accrue to the Reich and all of Europe following a reduction in the depredations of Barbary Corsairs presently based in Morocco. However, the reply received from the French Court was that whilst King Louis was himself willing to accept the gift ‘from friendship’, His Most Faithful Majesty King Pedro insisted on rejecting the offer on the grounds that he ‘requires a sum of no less than £2,000,000’. In these circumstances the Kaiser decided to give the money instead to another Christian prince, who perhaps had more pressing need, and from whom the response to the gift was a straightforward ‘thank you’. “The Kaiser has no plans to reconsider this matter ahead of next January’s financial review of the year,” he added. Whydah *The King of Akwamu confirmed that De Mansilla had a deal. “I look forward to receiving the weapons and profits in due course – but don’t forget! If you do I will not count you and your kind innocent but assume you mean to trick me, so don’t forget and so ruin our new friendship!” Madrid *The Inspector of the Vineyards of Portugal, Joseph James Forrester, has taken great pleasure in announcing that the port produced this year counts as a vintage wine! *There has been a total loss of confidence in the paper escudos currency widely used in Spain and Portugal, making the paper money effectively worthless in what may only be termed a very swift and calamitous collapse. Significant bullion holdings of the crown seem to have been seen as an irrelevance, which has shocked the Treasury since prevalent theory suggests the holding of such bullion will ensure confidence which would not suddenly collapse like this. Alas it has, it seems the economic situation has been so bad that the bullion holdings were not sufficient in themselves to instil confidence and prevent this disaster. St. Petersburg *A public banquet has been held in St. Petersburg to celebrate the completion of the new town which is being divided into two areas, one for the commoners of the city and one for nobles and senior military officers and government officials. General-Admiral Apraxin, Governor of St. Petersburg, read out a letter from the Tsar which declares the completion of the town is the sign of a new Russia, a confident one whose presence will be a benefit to its friends and neighbours. Apraxin ended by saying the Tsar will grace St. Petersburg with his presence soon. The banquet ended with an evening firework display. Regensburg *Returning to Regensburg, Reichsvizekanzler Friedrich Karl Graf von Schönborn has formally placed before the Reichstag a motion to rescind the Imperial Ordnance passed in July for the mobilisation of the Reichsarmee following Tsar Peter of Russia’s announcement that Saxony is free from threat of invasion. The Reichsvizekanzler has pointed to the enormous success, on this as on previous occasions, of the Reich’s arrangements for collective security against external threats. “In an impressive display of Imperial unity, six of the seven members of the Kurfürstenrat college of electors had supported the creation of the Reichsarmee as had no fewer than 26 of the 32 members of the Fürstenrat college of princes. Some of the greatest and most illustrious captains of the age, including King Charles XII of Sweden, Prinz Eugen of Savoy and Markgraf Ludwig of Baden-Baden, had offered their sword to the cause and high and mighty princes such as His Most Faithful Majesty King Pedro of Portugal-Spain, Kurfürst-und-König Friedrich of Brandenburg-Prussia and King Fredrik IV of Denmark had prepared to put their armies in the field in defence of their brother Imperial prince Kurfürst-und-König Friedrich Augustus’ Saxony.” The motion was passed on the nod, it not being considered necessary to consult with princes to secure its passing since it was seen by those present as being obviously what was required. Warsaw & Dresden *Austrian envoy Adam Ferdinand Graf von Windischgrätz has asked for a private meeting with the Duc de Croy? *Similarly, in Dresden the Austrian emissary Graf von Stadel has also requested a private audience, albeit with Friedrich Augustus in that man’s capacity as King of Poland. Ayutthaya *In the absence of the King, Ambassador Olof Rudbeck met Chancellor Phra Naret of Siam and spoke to him about relations between Sweden and Siam in general, and more specifically asked for permission to establish a headquarters in Siam for the Swedish East India Company. The Chancellor didn’t seem particularly impressed with the idea. “Why would I agree to that? I can see that establishing a trade post here would benefit your people, but I strongly suspect it would do so at the expense of my king’s subjects. No, I think it might be better if you forgot this silly idea, unless would you like to persist in it. I could have you clapped in irons you know?” Ambassador Rudbeck looked perplexed, and made as if to speak but then just swallowed hard and kept his own counsel. People being Much Admired by the Best in Société *Austria *Twin-Kingdoms *England *Asante Union *Prussia *Persia *Hanover *Moghul India *Ottoman Anatolia *Sweden Shipping Lists: Being a Reporte on Knowne Shipping Movements *Cornelius de Bruyn’s exploratory expedition of 11 sail has called in at Sao Salvador on the West African coast. Lloyds Lists: Being a Reporte on Knowne Shipping Losses from Causes Unknowne or Knowne *None. Ambassadorial Appointments *Sent by Siam-Cambodia to Russia, Daeng Praya. *Sent by Moghul India to the Jats, Tarbiyat Khan Birlas, and to Multan, Mir Miran. Trade Missions Opened *None. Automatically parsed by LGDRParser v1.0 Category:Game 6